‘There is a “clear perception” among most family law clients that barristers are more expensive than solicitors and other legal services providers, major research commissioned by the Bar Standards Board has found.’

‘Alongside data protection law runs a set of rules relating to electronic communications – the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (EC Directive) 2003, or PECR. Data protection law reform has been centre stage recently, with the General Data Protection Regulation coming into effect in May 2018. But plans to reform EU legislation underlying PECR have not been widely discussed. EU law-makers intend to introduce the changes along with the GDPR next May. The details of the changes are not hammered down yet. This presents a problem for any organisation that uses technology to communicate with the public. In this blog, we take a look at the existing rules, and the likely changes that will (or may) come in next year.’

‘A challenge to the legality of UK’s sale of arms to Saudi Arabia has failed. The claim sprang from the conflict in Yemen and the border areas of Saudi Arabia. It focussed on airstrikes conducted by a coalition led by Saudi Arabia in support of the legitimate government of Yemen against the Shia-led Houthi rebellion. UK arms export policy states that the government must deny licenses for sale of arms to regimes if there is a ‘clear risk’ that the arms ‘might’ be used in ‘a serious violation of International Humanitarian Law. This in turn is based on the EU Common Position 2008/944/CFSP on arms export control, which explicitly rules out the authorising of arms licences by Member States in these “clear risk” circumstances.’

‘Some of you may have read in last week’s Guardian of an ICO ruling which resulted in the Ministry of Justice handing over a judge’s handwritten notes under data protection legislation (if not, see the article here). If you did read the article, it may be that you are now scratching your head trying to work out why and how the notes came to be disclosed. Well you need scratch no longer – here is the ICO decision letter (for which thanks to Mrs Percival).’

‘Permitting judicial review of the issue of a diverted profits tax (DPT) charging notice would “undermine parliament’s intent”, the High Court has decided in a case concerning oil and gas distributing company, Glencore Energy.’

‘A second appeal of a homeless decision that Ms T was intentionally homeless, on the issues of whether Ms T’s actions were “an act or omission in good faith on the part of a person who was unaware of any relevant fact” as per s.192(2) Housing Act 1996.’

‘A new tagging system to monitor criminals has been dramatically scaled back and is running at least five years behind schedule after a series of expensive failings by the Ministry of Justice, the government’s spending watchdog has found.’